Apparatus and method for determining effect of on-chip noise on signal propagation

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a combination for determining the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on on-chip propagation, comprising an integrated circuit, and a testing system having a signal generator, a plurality of ring oscillators responsive to the signal generator and a signal analyzer responsive to the plurality of ring oscillators for dynamically measuring the effects of noise and cross-talk on the integrated circuit. The plurality of ring oscillators includes a first ring oscillator constructed to mimic a data path within the integrated circuit, a second ring oscillator constructed with traces routed within the core logic area, a third ring oscillator randomly placed within the core logic area, and a fourth ring oscillator constructed to mimic a data path within the integrated circuit, the fourth ring oscillator sharing a power source with at least one component of the plurality of components within the core logic area.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention is a divisional of pending U.S. application Ser.No. 10/016,183 entitled “Apparatus and Method for Determining Effect ofOn-Chip Noise on Signal Propagation” filed 30 Oct. 2001 and assigned tothe same assignee as the present invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to testing integrated circuitsand more particularly to testing the on-chip effects of noise andcross-talk on signal propagation.

BACKGROUND

Most integrated circuit (hereafter also referred to as IC devices, ICchips, or IC boards) contain a multitude of components, such astransistors, capacitors, resistors, processors, logic gates (for exampleAND, OR, NAND, and NOR, etc.), and memory caches, among others. Thesecomponents are placed on a substrate material and connected by a seriesof electrical traces (i.e., conductors). Most components receive powervia a power distribution bus which is connected to one or more powersupplies.

Data signals are passed between components via the traces. The routeused to pass a data signal between components is referred to as a datapath, or logic path. The coupling of a data signal from one trace(usually called the aggressor) and another trace (usually called thevictim) is referred to as cross-talk, whereas the effect of powersupplies and power buses on a data signal is referred to as noise.

Today's integrated circuits benefit from two major improvements overintegrated circuits constructed a few years ago. The first improvementencompasses the integrated circuit's operating voltage. Currentintegrated circuits operate at lower voltages than their predecessors.Thus, systems employing today's integrated circuits consume less powerthan systems employing older integrated circuits, and as such areextremely beneficial for portable devices manufactures, for example. Thesecond improvement encompasses component density. Current integratedcircuits have higher component densities than their predecessors. Inother words, current integrated circuits have more components packedwithin a given area than older integrated circuits. Higher densityintegrated circuits allow manufacturers either to offer smaller deviceswhich perform the same functions as older devices, or to offer similarsized devices with additional functions.

Undesirable effects, however, have accompanied the shift to higherdensity, lower voltage integrated circuits. For example, noise andcross-talk have an increased effect on internal circuit path delays.Noise and cross-talk that would have barely been noticeable within olderintegrated circuits may render current integrated circuits inoperable.

Compounding the problems caused by noise and cross-talk is the lack ofadequate testing methods to measure their effects on signal delays(among others) within the integrated circuit. For example, noise andcross-talk effects are usually frequency dependent. Thus, duringmanufacture, a chip may pass a low frequency functional test, but failto properly function when placed and operated within a system at normaloperating frequency.

Current testing methods can be grouped into two categories, simulationanalysis methods and laboratory analysis methods. Both categories havelimitations which impact their ability to detect conditions that maylead to integrated circuit failures.

Simulation analysis methods are said to be static-based, meaning thatthe amount of noise is calculated from an assumption of what is actuallyhappening within the integrated circuit. The assumptions are based onthe logic topology of the integrated circuit being tested, and are not,an actual measurement of the amount of noise found on the integratedcircuit. Because assumptions must be made, simulation analysis methodsare inaccurate.

Some simulation analysis methods attempt to overcome this inherentinaccuracy by employing simulation vectors to determine the effects ofnoise and cross-talk. However, the use of simulation vectors toaccurately model a device working in a system environment consumes agreat amount of time. The more complex the integrated circuit, thegreater the time required for testing. Simulation analysis methods,therefore, are unlikely to be used to test today's high densityintegrated circuits. Thus, the operating conditions which lead tocircuit failures on today's integrated circuits are not discovered.

Laboratory analysis methods, the second testing category, are said to bedynamic because the chip is tested as close to its normal operatingfrequency as possible. Laboratory analysis methods are preferable tosimulation analysis methods because the “real life” integrated circuitcharacteristics are more accurately modeled.

A laboratory testing method usually entails using high speed testequipment to supply vectors to the integrated circuit. Logic testers arethen used to determine the effects of the vectors on the integratedcircuit. Unfortunately, high speed test equipment is usually not capableof driving large numbers of vectors into the many signal pins present onthe integrated circuit. Furthermore, the logic testers tend to operateat frequencies that are much lower than the operating frequency of theintegrated circuit. Thus, even though preferable, laboratory analysismethods are usually avoided because it is difficult to drive a largeintegrated circuit at its system operating frequency whilesimultaneously gathering in-circuit measurements.

A need exists, therefore, for an apparatus and method for dynamicallydetermining the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on on-chip signalpropagation while the integrated circuit is operating in its normalmode. Furthermore, a need exists for an apparatus and method that allowsthe determination to be made quickly and using standard laboratory testequipment.

SUMMARY

A method and apparatus is disclosed for dynamically testing anintegrated circuit in its normal operating mode. The method andapparatus can be used to determine the effects of signal noise andcross-talk have on on-chip signal propagation. The method and apparatusallow the determination to be made quickly, using standard laboratorytest equipment.

An apparatus for testing an integrated circuit is disclosed comprised ofa plurality of test circuits. A first test circuit is operable toproduce a signal used to determine at least one of an operatingreference signal and the substrate coupling effect on components withinthe integrated circuit. The first test circuit has elements connected bytraces and is routed to mimic a data path within the integrated circuit.A second test circuit is operable to produce a signal used to determineat least one of a cross-talk effect on the components within theintegrated circuit and the accuracy of an interconnect capacitanceextraction value. The second test circuit has elements connected bytraces which are routed within the core logic area of the integratedcircuit. A third test circuit is operable to produce a signal used todetermine at least one of an effect of system noise on the operationalspeed of the components within the integrated circuit and a maximumdegradation expected for a logic path between the components. The thirdtest circuit has elements connected by traces. The third test circuit israndomly located within the core logic area of the integrated circuit. Afourth test circuit operable to produce a signal used to determine aneffect of power supply noise on a signal propagation delay within thecomponents within the integrated circuit. The fourth test circuit haselements connected by traces and is routed to mimic a data path withinthe integrated circuit. The fourth test circuit shares a power supplywith the components within the integrated circuit.

The present invention encompasses a testing system having a plurality ofring oscillators constructed for dynamically measuring the effects ofnoise and cross-talk on the memory device. The testing system alsoincludes a signal generator able to produce at least one of a ‘clr’signal and a ‘run’ signal, where at least one of the ‘clr’ and ‘run’signals are applied to at least one of the plurality of ringoscillators. The testing system also includes a signal analyzer able toretrieve an output signal from at least one of the plurality of ringoscillators.

The present invention also encompasses a method for dynamically testingthe effects of signal noise and cross-talk on an integrated circuithaving a core logic area. The method comprises measuring an inactiveoperating frequency for each of a plurality of test circuits; measuringan active operating frequency for each of a plurality of test circuits;and analyzing the plurality of inactive and active operating frequenciesto determine the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on theintegrated circuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To enable the present invention to be easily understood and readilypracticed, the present invention will now be described for purposes ofillustration and not limitation, in connection with the followingfigures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a simplified view illustrating an integrated circuit chipemploying a testing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic drawing of a test circuit within thetesting apparatus used to determine an operating reference signal forthe integrated circuit as shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic drawing of a test circuit within thetesting apparatus used to determine the cell delay of the integratedcircuit shown in FIG. 1 caused by cross-talk according to an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic drawing of a test circuit within thetesting apparatus used to determine the effects of system noise on theintegrated circuit shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic drawing of a test circuit within thetesting apparatus used to determine the effects of power supply noise onthe integrated circuit shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a detailed view illustrating the placement of the testcircuits as shown in FIGS. 2-5 with respect to the integrated circuitshown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate the relationship of various signals within thetest circuits illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates apparatus for testing an integrated circuit inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates an operational process for testing the integratedcircuit shown in FIG. 8 in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 is a detailed view of operation 903 of the operational processillustrated in FIG. 9 according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description illustrates several embodiments which serve toexplain the principles of the present invention. The embodiments are notintended to limit, in any way, the scope of the present invention andare used only as a means of enabling one skilled in the art to practicethe principles set forth by the present invention.

A simplified view of an integrated circuit chip (“IC chip”) 10 employinga testing apparatus 21 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The IC chip 10 is divided into fourcore logic areas 12, 14, 16, 18. A core logic area 12, 14, 16, 18 is aportion of the IC chip 10 containing integrated circuit components suchas transistors, capacitors, resistors, processors, logic gates, andmemory caches, among others. The components are interconnected to form amultitude of data paths on which signals are transmitted from onecomponent to another. A power distribution system, having a multitude ofpower supply buses, interlaces the core logic area and supplies thenecessary power to the components.

The IC chip 10 also contains space between the core logic areas 12, 14,16, 18. The space is hereinafter referred to as the “reserved area” 20.The reserved area 20 contains, for example, power routing, data linerouting, peripheral circuits (such as amplifiers, boost, and sensecircuits, among others) used by the core logic areas 12, 14, 16, 18, andcontact pads which connect the IC chip 10 to external systems (such astest systems and computer systems, among others).

In FIG. 1, the testing apparatus 21 having a set of four test circuits22, 24, 26, 28 is shown for testing IC chip 10, and more specificallyfor testing core logic area 12. In the current embodiment, one or moreof the test circuits 22, 24, 26, 28 are located within the reservedarea.

It should be noted that, for simplicity, the following discussion of thepresent invention has been limited to a single testing apparatus 21, aportion of which is located within core logic area 12. However, the useof multiple testing apparatus 21 for testing other portions of the ICchip 10 (e.g., the other core logic areas 14, 16, 18) is within thescope of the present invention. Furthermore, the present inventionencompasses IC chips having alternative layouts and an alternativenumber of core logic areas. For example, an IC chip containing only onecore logic area for the entire chip surface is within the scope of thepresent invention.

A group of test circuits (e.g., test circuits 22, 24, 26, 28) comprisesa testing apparatus 21 for dynamically monitoring an integrated circuit10. In one embodiment, the testing apparatus 21 contains four testcircuits 22, 24, 26, 28 each functioning as ring oscillators. Each testcircuit 22, 24, 26, 28 may contain elements, or cells, such as logicgates, inverters, and output dividers, among others. The elements areconnected to one another via electrical traces. The element placementand trace routing of each of the four test circuits 22, 24, 26, 28 isselected to isolate specific test quantities (such as noise, cross-talk,etc.) within the IC chip 10. For example, test circuit 22, whosecomponents are located in the reserved area 20 of the IC chip 10,measures a different quantity than test circuit 26, whose components arelocated within the core logic area 12.

The number of inverters used by each test circuit 22, 24, 26, 28 in thecurrent embodiment is preferably restricted such that the ringoscillator loop remains inverting and the oscillation frequency remainslow enough for on-chip division. Contact pads are used to connect thetest circuits 22, 24, 26, 28 to external test equipment. For example,the “run”, “clr” and “output” lines of the test circuits 22, 24, 26, 28(as shown in FIGS. 2-5) each have a contact pad that is accessible byexternal test equipment. Each test circuit 22, 24, 26, 28 is describedin more detail below. It should be noted that additional test circuitsmay be added to the IC chip 10 as needed. Furthermore, non-ringoscillator test circuits may be substituted to obtain similar results.

A detailed schematic drawing of test circuit 22 (TC22) is shown in FIG.2. TC22 is comprised of a series connected AND gate 30, inverters 32,34, 36, and a divider 38. An output of inverter 36 is fed back to ANDgate 30; a ‘run’ signal is also fed into AND gate 30; and divider 38 isresponsive to a clear signal ‘clr’.

TC22 is used to determine an operating reference signal, or “goldenreference”, for the IC chip 10 shown in FIG. 1. Operating referencesignal refers to the signal frequency against which all otherfrequencies are judged. In the current embodiment, TC22 is constructedsuch that it operates in an ideal environment with no externaldisrupting influences. Any deviation from the operating reference signalby the other test circuits can be assumed to be caused by the externalinfluence (i.e., cross-talk, noise, etc.) that the specific test circuitis designed to measure.

In the current embodiment, the elements of TC22 are selected andconnected to mimic a data path that is typically found within one of thecore logic areas 12, 14, 16, 18 of the IC chip 10. For example, theelements of TC22 are placed and routed with a minimum amount of distancebetween each element. To isolate TC22 from any power supply noiseeffects found on the IC chip 10, TC22 is directly connected to anexternal power supply. An external power supply refers to a power sourcethat does not supply power to the components within the core logic area.In the current embodiment, the external power supply is dedicatedexclusively for the use of TC22, however, in alternative embodiments,the power supply can be shared with other test circuits (e.g., 24 and28) or with peripheral circuits within the reserved area 20.

In the current embodiment, the operating frequency of TC22 is measuredwith all of the components within the core logic areas 12, 14, 16, 18and within the reserved area 20 in the inactive mode. In the currentembodiment, inactive mode refers to removing clock signals and power,among others, from the components. In an alternative embodiment, lessthan all of the components may have the power and clock signals (amongothers) removed when placing the IC chip 10 in the inactive mode.

By placing the IC chip 10 in the inactive mode, TC22 is not disturbed bypower supply noise or cross-talk induced effects caused by othercomponents. Thus the operating frequency of TC22, measured while the ICchip 10 is in the inactive mode, represents the operating referencefrequency of the IC chip 10. The operational frequency of TC22 is thenmeasured with the IC chip 10 in the active mode (i.e., in its normaloperating mode). The active operating frequency of TC22 is used todetermine the effect of substrate noise coupling on circuit delayswithin the core logic area by comparing it with the operating referencefrequency.

A detailed schematic drawing of test circuit 24 (TC24) is shown in FIG.3. In the current embodiment, TC24 is used to determine the cell delaycaused by cross-talk within the IC chip 10 shown in FIG. 1. Cell delayrefers to the time it takes a signal to propagate from the input to theoutput of a cell (i.e., element). Cross-talk refers to the coupling of asignal from one trace (usually termed the ‘aggressor’) to another trace(‘victim’). Cell delay caused by cross talk refers to the situationwhere the switching of the input signal of a gate is perturbed byanother signal (aggressor) signal such that the input signal's rise orfall time is increased or decreased sufficiently to change the expectedpropagation time through the cell. For example, a non-inverting gate mayrequire 200 ps to switch from low to high (i.e., 200 ps rise time). If aneighboring (aggressor) signal happened to switch from high to low atthe same time, the rise time of the victim gate may be decreasedsignificantly. This would have the apparent effect of slowing down thesignal propagation through the victim gate, or increasing the victimgate's cell delay.

Like TC22, an external power supply is connected to TC24 to isolate TC24from power supply noise effects found on the IC chip 10. Also, asdiscussed in conjunction with TC22, the elements of TC24 are placedclose together to mimic a data path within the IC chip 10. The elements(i.e., cells) comprising TC24 include series connected AND gate 40,inverter 42, inverter 44, inverter 46, and divider 48 interconnectedlike the elements of TC22. However, the element-to-element interconnects50, 52, 54 (i.e., the traces) of TC24 are routed in paths extending intothe core logic area 12 of the IC chip 10. For example in one embodiment,the traces are formed into long loops 50, 52, 54 which extend deep intothe core logic area 12.

In the current embodiment, an inactive operating frequency and activeoperating frequency for TC24 is measured with all of the componentswithin the core logic areas 12, 14, 16, 18 and within the reserved area20 inactive and active, respectively. With the body of the IC chip 10inactive, the accuracy of the interconnect capacitance extraction valuecan be determined using the difference between the inactive operatingfrequency of TC24 and a predicted operating frequency. The interconnectcapacitance extraction value refers to the capacitance of the tracesused to connect the various components of the chip together.‘Interconnect’ refers to the direct impact on the switching speed of thegate outputs; ‘interconnect’ must be known to perform meaningfulcomputer simulations. ‘Extraction’ refers to the process of determiningthese capacitances algorithmically or by measurement. Generally, a setof test cases are fabricated to model a portion of the chip and theircapacitances measured directly. A computer model is then used todetermine algorithmically the capacitances of the complete chip.

The predicted operating frequency can be found by computer simulation ofthe circuit. Furthermore, the active operating frequency of TC24 is usedto determine the effects of cross-talk on components within the corelogic area. The active operating frequency can also be found usingcomputer simulation, but the effects on operating frequency caused bycross-talk and noise are generally not determined at this stage as mostsimulators do not account for these factors. It should be noted that thecross-talk analysis can be targeted to a specific layout topology orcore logic component by routing the traces 50, 52, 54 of TC24 within aspecific device layer or constraining the traces of TC24 to a specificrouting methodology.

A detailed schematic drawing of test circuit 26 (TC26) is shown in FIG.4. In the current embodiment, TC26 is used to determine the effects ofsystem noise on the operational speed of the components within a corelogic area (e.g., 12, 14, 16, and 18). In the current embodiment, theelements of TC26 are randomly placed and the traces randomly routedwithin the core logic area 12 of the IC chip 10. The elements mayinclude a series connected AND gate 60, inverters 62,64, 66, and divider68. An external power supply is connected to TC26. Thus, TC26experiences the same power supply and cross-talk noise experienced bythe IC chip's internal logic.

In the current embodiment, an inactive operating frequency and activeoperating frequency for TC26 is measured with all of the components inthe core logic areas 12, 14, 16, 18 and within the reserved area 20inactive and active, respectively. The difference between the inactiveoperating frequency and the active operating frequency of TC26 is usedto determine the effects of system noise on the operational speed of thecomponents within the core logic areas 12. The comparison of thisdifference to the operating reference signal determined by TC22 is usedto represent the maximum degradation that can be expected for a logicpath within the core logic area 12. Maximum degradation refers tolargest amount of perturbation experienced by a circuit caused byexternal influences such as power supply noise and cross talk. Thus, thecircuit's operating frequency would be expected to be furthest away(i.e., higher or lower) from the reference circuit's frequency.

A detailed schematic drawing of test circuit 28 (TC28) is shown in FIG.5. In the current embodiment, TC28 is used to determine the effects thatpower supply noise has on the propagation delays of components withinthe core logic areas (e.g., 12, 14, 16, 18). Like the other testcircuits, TC28 is comprised of series connected AND gate 70, inverters72, 74, 76 and divider 78. In the current embodiment, the placement ofelements and routing of traces of TC28 are the same as TC22. However,instead of using a dedicated, external power supply source, the elementsof TC28 share a power supply source with the components of core logicarea 12.

In the current embodiment, an inactive operating frequency and an activeoperating frequency for TC28 is measured with the components in the corelogic areas 12, 14, 16, 18 and within the reserved area 20 inactive andactive, respectively. The difference between the inactive operatingfrequency and the active operating frequency of TC28 represents theeffects of power supply noise on the propagational delays of componentswithin the core logic area 12. Propagational delay refers to theaddition amount of time needed for signal to travel along a section ofcircuit due to resistance, impedance, switching delay, and componentoperational delay, among others.

FIG. 6 is a detailed view illustrating the placement of test circuits22, 24, 26 and 28 (i.e., TC22, TC24, TC26, and TC28, respectively) inrelation to a core logic area 12 of the IC chip 10 in accordance with toan embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted thatalternative placement of the test circuits may be used while remainingwithin the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, multiple testcircuits may be used to measure a specific portion of the IC chip 10.For example, multiple TC24's can be placed at various locations on thesurface of the IC chip 10 to measure the delay variation across the ICchip 10 caused by manufacturing process variations. The delay variationindicates how much of the variation between test circuits was caused bynoise effects and by other manufacturing variations.

As shown in FIG. 6, the test circuits TC22, TC24, and TC28 are locatedwithin the reserved area 20 of the IC chip 10, whereas TC26 is locatedwithin the core logic area 12. It is also apparent from FIG. 6 that thetraces 50, 52, 54 connecting the elements of TC24 are routed deep intothe core logic area 12 and that TC28 uses a power source which alsosupplies power to the components within the core logic area 12. Itshould be noted that the layout of the current embodiment as shown inFIG. 6 can be altered while remaining within the scope of the presentinvention. For example, TC26 may be restricted to a specific portion ofthe core logic area 12 to determine the effects of noise and cross-talkon a single component within the core logic area 12.

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate the relationship of various signals within a testcircuit of the current embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 2 (i.e., TC22) for example, the ‘clr’ and ‘run’ signals shown inFIGS. 7A and 7B, respectively, are supplied by an external device (suchas a signal generator) to TC22. The ‘clr’ signal is applied to a ‘clr’pin on the divider 38 and the ‘run’ signal is applied to an input of theAND gate 30. When the ‘run’ signal is applied, TC22 begins to oscillate.The number of oscillation cycles is observed by the divider 38 and isillustrated in FIG. 7C as the ‘out’ signal.

A typical timing sequence is as follows. First, the ‘clr’ signal ismomentarily switched to the appropriate level to reset divider 38. Here,the ‘clr’ signal is momentarily switched to the low level, and then backto the high level to reset the divider 38. After the divider 38 isreset, the ‘run’ signal is applied to an input of the AND gate 30. The‘run’ signal is applied for a time period, T. When the ‘run’ signal isapplied, the ring oscillator is activated and the divider 38 begins tocount the number of times inverter 36 changes state. A state changerefers to the output of a test circuit (e.g., 22, 24, 26, 28) changingfrom one voltage threshold level to another voltage threshold level. Forexample in the present embodiment, when the output of inverter 36changes from 0 volts to 3.3 volts a state change occurs. Likewise, whenthe output of inverter 36 changes from 3.3 volts to 0 volts, anotherstate change occurs. Each state change is counted by divider 38. Afterthe time period T expires, the ‘run’ signal is removed, the ringoscillator is deactivated, and the divider 38 count is frozen. Aspreviously mentioned, the divider 38 count represents the number ofoscillation cycles which occurred within time period T.

TC22's inactive operating frequency refers to the divider count obtainedby output divider 38 when the desired components in the core logic areas12, 14, 16, 18 and within the reserved area 20 are inactive. It shouldbe noted that the divider 38 in the current embodiment is implementedusing a counter, however, the use of other types dividers are within thescope of the present invention. Likewise, TC22's active operatingfrequency refers to the divider count obtained by divider 38 when thedesired components in the core logic areas 12, 14, 16, 18 and within thereserved area 20 are active.

In the current embodiment, the timing operations of the test circuitsduring the determination of inactive and active operating frequenciesare similar, the main difference being the condition of the IC chip 10.Looking at TC22, for example, measuring either the active or inactivefrequency measurements includes first resetting the divider 38 with the‘clr’ signal. Next, the ‘run’ signal is applied to the AND gate 30 toactivate the ring oscillator. When activated, the ring oscillatoroutputs a set of pulses which are counted by the divider 38. After thepredetermined time period T has expired, the ‘run’ signal is removed,thereby deactivating the ring oscillator and freezing the count on thedivider 38. The operating frequency is determined from the total countobtained by the divider 38 during the predetermined time period that thering oscillator was activated. For active frequency measurements, the ICchip 10 is activated before the operating frequency is determined,whereas for inactive frequency measurements, the IC chip 10 isdeactivated before the operating frequency is determined.

It should be noted that the ‘clr’, ‘run’, and ‘out’ traces, in thecurrent embodiment, terminate at contact pads located within thereserved area 20 of the IC chip 10. These contact pads are thenconnected to an external testing device which transmits/receives theappropriate signals to/from the test circuits. Alternativeconfigurations can be implemented while remaining within the scope ofthe present invention. For example, a separate divider can be locatedwithin the external testing device instead of within each test circuit.

In the current embodiment, the value initially chosen for T is notcritical, however, the ability to accurately reproduce the chosen T isdesirable. In other words, the run signal applied to TC22 should be ofthe same duration as the run signal applied to TC24 to obtain comparableresults. Alternatively, a different time period can be applied to one ormore of the test circuits and further calculations completed to obtaincomparable results. For example, the run signal applied to TC22 may betwice the duration as the run signal applied to TC24. Thus, bymultiplying the count of TC24 by two, comparable results are obtainable.

FIG. 8 illustrates testing system 86 for testing a integrated circuit inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In the currentembodiment, the integrated circuit being tested is a solid state memorydevice 80. It should be noted, however, that the testing system 86 canbe used for other types of integrated circuits. The memory device 80 iscomprised of a core logic area 82 and a reserved area 84. The core logicarea 82 is comprised of a multitude of components (such as memoryarrays, transistors, capacitors, resistors, traces, dividers, decoders,switches, and multiplexers, among others). The reserved area 84 containsa multitude of peripheral circuits (such as power supply circuits,testing circuits, and amplifier circuits among others.

The testing system 86 is comprised of a testing apparatus 21, a signalgenerator 88, and a signal analyzer 90, among others. In the currentembodiment, the testing apparatus 21 is comprised of a plurality of ringoscillators. The ring oscillators are constructed such that they candynamically measure the effects of noise and cross-talk on the memorydevice 80, as discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 1-7.

As shown in FIG. 8 and as discussed in conjunction with FIG. 6, thetesting apparatus 21 is carried by the integrated circuit being tested.As shown in FIG. 8, a portion of the testing apparatus 21 is locatedwithin the core logic area 82 and a portion within the reserved area 84of memory device 80. In an alternative embodiment, a portion of testingapparatus 21 may be located external to the integrated circuit beingtested.

In the current embodiment, the testing apparatus 21 includes four ringoscillators. The elements and traces of the first ring oscillator arelocated within the reserved area 84 of the memory device 80 and mimic adata path within the core logic area 82. The elements of the second ringoscillator are also located within the reserved area 84, however, thetraces connecting the elements are routed within the core logic area 82.The elements and traces of the third ring oscillator are randomly placedwithin the core logic area 82. Power is supplied to the first, second,and third ring oscillators by external power supplies. Finally, theelements and traces of the fourth ring oscillator are located within thereserved area 84 and mimic a data path within said memory device 80.Unlike the first three ring oscillators, the fourth ring oscillatorshares a power source with at least one of the multitude of componentswithin the core logic area 82.

As previously mentioned the testing system 86 includes a signalgenerator 88. The signal generator 88 in the current embodiment producesa ‘clr’ signal and a ‘run’ signal, among others. The ‘clr’ and ‘run’signals are provided to each of the ring oscillators as discussed inconjunction with FIG. 7. The testing system 86 also includes a signalanalyzer 90. The signal analyzer 90 of the current embodiment retrievesthe output signals (also discussed in conjunction with FIG. 7) from thering oscillators.

The testing system 86, in the current embodiment, may use the ringoscillator output signals to determine an operating reference signal,the substrate coupling effect, and cross-talk effects for the memorydevice 80. Furthermore, the testing system 86 may use the output signalsto determine the accuracy of an interconnect capacitance extractionvalue, the effect of system noise on the operational speed, the maximumdegradation expected for a logic path, and an effect of power supplynoise on a signal propagation delay for the memory device 80.

FIG. 9 illustrates an operational process 900 for testing an IC chip inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In oneembodiment, operational process 900 is implemented as one of a series oftests completed by a manufacturer during device fabrication. In analternative embodiment, operational process 900 can be implemented as asole test on a newly designed IC chip to determine design shortcomingsbefore full-scale manufacturing is implemented. Other embodiments mayalso be used while remaining within the scope of the present invention.For example, operational process 900 can be automatically initiatedafter the IC chip is packaged and ready for shipment, or in anotherembodiment, manually initiated during design phase testing of an ICchip.

Furthermore, operational process 900 can be applied to each IC chipproduced, or to a predetermined sampling of IC chips (e.g., ontwo-out-of-ten IC chips manufactured). In yet another embodiment, theoperating conditions of the IC chip can be measured after the IC chiphas been placed within its final operating environment (i.e., a computersystem, switch, etc.). A determination can then be made as to whetherthe operating environment is conducive to the proper functionality ofthe IC Chip. Periodically measurements of the IC chip's delay falls arecompared to the expected delay range, and thus, the system temperatureand power supply quality and susceptibility from externally radiatednoise sources is determined.

Operational process 900 is initiated by operation 901. In the currentembodiment, operation 901 is automatically initiated during the IC chipfabrication stage, before a IC chip is packaged and shipped to acustomer. Alternative methods of initiating operational process 900 canbe implemented while remaining within the scope of the presentinvention.

After operation 901 initiates operational process 900, operation 902deactivates the IC chip being tested. In the current embodiment,operation 902 deactivates the entire IC chip, including all the testcircuits that were previously activated. For example, the IC chip, or aportion of the IC chip, may have been activated by another test within aseries of applied tests. Alternatively, operation 902 may deactivateonly a portion of the IC chip, such as a specific core logic area and aspecific test circuit, while remaining within the scope of the presentinvention.

After the IC chip is deactivated, operation 903 begins to gather thetest circuits' inactive information. In the current embodiment,operation 903 gathers the inactive information by sequentiallyactivating and deactivating the four test circuits TC22, TC24, TC26,TC28 discussed above in conjunction with FIGS. 2-5. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 10, operation 903 activates TC22 (e.g., the firsttest circuit) and determines its inactive operating frequency (i.e., theoperating reference signal). TC22 is then deactivated and TC24 (e.g.,the second test circuit) is activated. The inactive operating frequencyof TC24 is determined and TC24 is deactivated. Operation 903 thencontinues to activate and deactivate the remaining test circuits (here,TC26 TC28. Each test circuit is activated for the predetermined timeperiod, T, as discussed above.

It should be noted that the sequential order in which the test circuitsare activated can be varied while remaining within the scope of thepresent invention. In an alternative embodiment, multiple test circuitsmay be simultaneously activated. The information gathered from each testcircuit by operation 903 can be stored in buffers located on-chip and inexternal memory devices, among others.

Operation 904 then activates the IC chip that is undergoing testing. Inthe current embodiment, operation 904 activates the entire IC chip,including the core logic areas and any peripheral circuitry located withthe reserved area, so that the IC chip is functioning at its normaloperating level. Activating the IC chip to its normal operating levelallows measurement of the noise and cross-talk effects that the IC chipwill be subjected to when integrated into its intended system.Alternatively, operation 904 may activate only a portion of the IC chip,such as a specific core logic area, for localized testing whileremaining within the scope of the present invention.

After the IC chip is activated, operation 905 begins to gather the testcircuits' active information from the test circuits. In the currentembodiment, operation 905 gathers the test circuits' active informationby sequentially activating and deactivating the four test circuits TC22,TC24, TC26, TC28 as discussed above in conjunction with operation 903.The information gathered from each test circuit by operation 905 canalso be stored in on-chip buffers and within external memory devices,among others.

Operation 906 determines the effects that noise and cross-talk have onthe IC chip. For example, the active information of each test circuit iscompared to the inactive information for the same test circuit toascertain certain effects of noise and cross-talk. Likewise, the active(and inactive) information of each test circuit can be compared to theinactive information of the test circuit TC22 (i.e., the operatingreference signal) to determine other effects caused by noise andcross-talk. Examples of the specific quantities that are measurable havebeen discussed in more detail in conjunction with FIGS. 2-5.Alternatively, additional quantities can also be determined. Forexample, the effects of system temperature on the IC chip can bedetermined. In such an alternative, the above-mentioned tests arerepeated after the IC chip's die substrate is heated due to a long runtime. The operating frequency of the ‘hot’ chip is compared to theprevious measurements. Because operating frequency is inverselyproportional to temperature, a determination can easily be made as towhether the IC chip requires a heat sink or cooling fan, among others.

Operation 907 then terminates operational process 900. It should benoted that the quantities determined by operational process 900 can beused by a test operator or manufacturer to reject a chip containing afailure, to determine the probability of future chip failures, or tocreate alternative chip designs that eliminate potential failure points,among others.

The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to beillustrative only. Numerous alternative embodiments may be devised bythose skilled in the art without departing from the scope of thefollowing claims. For example, a portion of the IC chip may remainactive, or remain inactive, while determine the inactive operatinginformation, or active operating information, respectively. As a furtherexample, the test apparatus may contain additional test circuits capableof measuring additional quantities. As a further example, test circuitsother than, or in conjunction with ring oscillators may be used.

What is claimed is:
 1. A combination for determining the effects ofsignal noise and cross-talk on on-chip propagation, comprising: anintegrated circuit; and a testing system comprising: a signal generator,a plurality of ring oscillators responsive to said signal generatorwherein said plurality of ring oscillators includes a first ringoscillator constructed to mimic a data path within said integratedcircuit, a second ring oscillator constructed with traces routed withinsaid core logic area, a third ring oscillator randomly placed withinsaid core logic area, and a fourth ring oscillator constructed to mimica data path within said integrated circuit, said fourth ring oscillatorsharing a power source with at least one component of said plurality ofcomponents within said core logic area; and a signal analyzer responsiveto said plurality of ring oscillators for dynamically measuring theeffects of noise and cross-talk on said integrated circuit.
 2. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit further comprisesa core logic area and a reserved area, said core logic area having aplurality of components located therein, said reserved area having aplurality of peripheral circuits located therein.
 3. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said signal generator is operable to produce at leastone of a ‘clr’ signal and a ‘run’ signal.
 4. The combination of claim 3wherein at least one of said ‘clr’ signal and said ‘run’ signal areapplied to at least one of said plurality of ring oscillators.
 5. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein said testing system is operable todetermine an operating reference signal of said integrated circuit. 6.The combination of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit includes amemory device.
 7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said testing systemis operable to determine a substrate coupling effect on said integratedcircuit.
 8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said testing system isoperable to determine a cross-talk effect on said integrated circuit. 9.The combination of claim 1 wherein said testing system is operable todetermine the accuracy of an interconnect capacitance extraction value.10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said testing system is operableto determine an effect of system noise on the operational speed of saidintegrated circuit.
 11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said testingsystem is operable to determine a maximum degradation expected for alogic path within said integrated circuit.
 12. The combination of claim1 wherein said testing system is operable to determine an effect ofpower supply noise on a signal propagation delay within said integratedcircuit.